Sour Grapes
by Yotsubadancesintherain5
Summary: There's somebody familiar in this blur between the new and old world.


Through this nebulous blur between the new and the old time Homura found something different.

At first elation brimmed up within her, but soon turned to apprehension and a little bit of fear.

There was a Madoka here, but not as Homura always saw her. This one had her hair down and her clothing, while bright and pink, looked weighed down. Her head was downward and these were all superficial differences that Homura could dismiss but there was something more unsettling.

There was anguish on this Madoka's face, the sort that struck Homura hard.

She shook her head and said, "Madoka."

The Madoka looked upward, and her face contorted in confusion and Homura thought that their expressions would've matched once again.

"Homura? Homura, how can this…"

"I could ask you the same question."

"But I just…" The Madoka strode to Homura and began pulling at her cheek.

"This isn't a trick by Kyubey?"

"No," and Homura pulled the girl's hand off her face. She rubbed at her cheek and thought that there was some retaining childishness there.

"How do I know this isn't a trick by Kyubey?"

"I don't think he's smart enough to do this."

"Hmm." the Madoka tapped her finger to her chin. "He still hasn't figured me out so, yes. I believe you."

Homura blinked. Some part of her brain kept insisting that this wasn't real, but the stinging in her cheek said otherwise.

"I can't recognize you," the Madoka said, "My Homura has glasses and keeps her hair in braids."

"My Madoka keeps her hair up in pigtails."

The Madoka lifted up her hand to touch her loose locks.

An idea began turning in Homura's head and it was too wonderful to not voice.

"So you know what I know," Homura said. "Do you know what this means?"

Madoka shook her head.

"We can stop this. Find some old timeline, and we can live our lives there."

It sounded like a paradise. They could go to school and with both of their experiences any Witch would be easily felled. Maybe they could finally move past this month and remember what it was like to be a regular teenager, and move onward with their lives.

"No."

The word broke Homura out of her imaginary world and anger instinctively roared up within her.

"Why not?"

"I've been doing this…" Madoka trailed off before speaking again. "How long have you done this?"

"Too much for me to count."

"Our wish, it was to protect each other," Madoka said. "You've seen what happens when magical girls reject their wishes."

"Wouldn't we protect each other?" Homura tried.

"Not in that simple way," Madoka said. "I wished to protect Homura the way she protected me, when I wasn't a magical girl and was weak compared to them. I'm sure it's turned out that way in your world, too."

"It is. Now."

"Then I hope you find happiness with her."

Homura couldn't find a way to protest but with her second dream, one that seemed so tantalizing realized, crushed she couldn't stop the rush of anger and jealousy directed at the Homura she wouldn't ever meet.

"Am I not good enough for you?"

Madoka stepped back, and Homura already regretted the words.

"Of course you're good enough," Madoka said and Homura's heart ached because right then she looked just the same as any other Madoka. "But you already know what your resolve is. You love your Madoka just as much as I love my Homura."

She raised a hand to her cheeks and brushed it across. "And for me that goes for you, too."

Homura nodded. She wanted to say the same but kept it in.

"I… I understand. Good luck."

"Good luck to you, too."

Homura began to raise her arms but let them fall, and with a wave she began to walk. Despite her wish and all that it entailed she kept a small hope that they could've been happy together.

**A/N: Originally posted on AO3 on December 20 2018**

**Like with the whole equivalent exchange thing and following wishes down the phrase and not actually wishing for what you want (Kyoko loses her family by wishing her father's sermons were popular, Sayaka loses her life when she loses her crush and Mami just got unlucky) Homura's wish becomes much more tragic.**

**There's a theory that the first timeline Madoka didn't become a Witch when she died was because it was a simple wish to save a stray cat, Amy. And probably also because she presumably died at peace knowing she defeated Walpurgisnacht. **


End file.
